Machine for flanging and seaming sheet-metal receptacles



Sept. 27, 1927.

, c. JI. RHODES MACHINE FOR FLANGING AND SEAMING SHEET METAL RECEPTACLES Filed March 2' 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 m m M Sept c. J. RHODES MACHINE FOR FLANGING AND SEAMING SHEET METAL RECEPTACLES Filed March 2, 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 4' Sheets-Sheet 3 t. 27 1927. 7 Sep c. J. RHODES MACHlNE FOR FLANGING' AND SEAMING SHEET METAL RECEPTACLES Filed March 2. 1927 awn me:

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C. J. RHODES MACHLNE FOR FLANGING AND SEAMING SHEET METAL RECEPTACLES Filed March 2, 1927 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Patented Sept. 27, 1927 umrae rains l CHARLES JOSEPH RI-robes, or WAKEFIELnn'NeL-Am).

MACHINE FOR FLANGING .A ND SEAMING SHEET-METAL RECEP'IIACLES.

Application filed Martha, 1927, seria1 no. 171,944, and inzGreatwBritain October 29, 1925.

This invention relates to improvements in the apparatus for automaticallyfianging and formed during such rotation, theiflangmg rollers also preferably acting to support the I work at certain times. One of the'headstocks may be stationary and the other movable or slidable to and away from the first as known-1n this type of machine, the work being held between the headstocks by bringing the movable stockup toward the stationary one, and mechanism maybe provided by which thetlanging and. seaming operations take place either --'at one end of the work or at both ends of same simultaneously.

According to this inventionthe actuating means for the various rollers for perform- 7.

ing-"the, operations of fianging, curling, and

flattening themetal joint are independent of each other, the fla-nging roller' or rollers and the work-supporting roller or rollers which co-operate therewith-1n the flanging operation being located-in the vertical 'ZIXlS ofthe machine and operatedeachby a separate cam oncam shafts on opposite sides of'the axis.

Also'the curling roller or rollers and the flattening roller or rollers is or are mounted respectively on opposite sides of the -.vertical axis of the machine and movable in inclined guides converging towards said axis, each of said rollersbeing operated-by a separate cam and the cams being mounted on opposite sidesfot' said axis.

By such construct on an efiicient balancing of all the ma n operative parts ot the machine is produced and the actuation of the various rollers fac1l1tated.

Thus, co-operating flanging rollers, arranged in the central axis of the machine and carried by slides, are. adapted to be given reciprocating movements 3 to bring them into and'o'ut'of action eachby'a separate cam vand 'act first to simultaneously flange the outer edge of the receptacle body and furtherfiange the already previously flanged edge of the'heatl which-has been inserted in the end of the body. The flanged body andh'ead are thenacted on by a curling roller to produce a double more or less circular'seam from the flanged portions of "the body. and head and finally the-curled joint is flattened by another roller to completejthe joint, it being understood .that the curling 'andjflattening rollers are in turn each operated by an independent "cam The said curling and'flattening rollers. are located one atj'each side of the jfian'ging rollers and mounted in slides so that theyhave movemen't into and out of operation in. inclined paths converging towards the central axis of the. machine.

I Itlsl1ouldbe'stat'edthat the termshead a closure'disk used herein are intended to include end, .bot-tom, base or other part to be attached to the body or main member ofthe work.

The invention also comprises other features of construction, arrangement, and combinations ofp'arts as set forth in appended claims and hereinafter fully describedWith. reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sidefelevation'ofthe machine with certain rollers omitted for sake of clearnessfFig. 2' is an end elevation from the left ot Eig. 1';Figs. 3 and l are respectively cross sectionsjon 'lines- 33 and 4 4 of '1 looking in the direction of the arrows Figs. 5 and Gare detail view-s showing-in side 'elevationand planrespectively,

.themethod or mounting thecurling and flatteningroller's; and Figs 7 and 8 are detail .views or certain operating cams and ass ciat'ed levers for the rollers.

"In said drawings-1 designates themain .t'ram'e ofthe ma'chinelon whichis-mounted at -each end a head-stock 2 and 3 respectively. The he'achstock'2- is stationary and the headstock 3 inovable'or adjustable longitudinally of 'the machine as f hereinafter explained.

Each' headstock is {provided with suitable bearings for a shaft 4, 5 which respective'ly carry. aplate or chuck 6, 7 between which the operation ofgthe machine.

' The .machine 1sdr1ven-by a'shatt 8 having v drum,orreceptacle, to which a heatlfis to -be applied atone orboth ends-is held during Gil shaft to the chuck shafts 4, 5 by means of chain and pulley transmission 11, 12, each chuck shaft being positively operated.

From the chuck shaft 4 a train of gears 13-17 drives in opposite directions two cam shafts 18 and 19 mounted in the base of the machine at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis from which the various rollers are operated and controlled as will be described later. The drive of shaft 8 is taken up by a friction clutch 20 (see particularly Fig. 4) of any appropriate kind but shown as comprising a friction band 21 under control of a weighted hand-lever 22 through lever and link connect-ions 23, 24, 25. One arm of lever 22 has a pin 26 engageable by a notch 27 in'a latch 28 which in turn is controlled through arm 29 rod 30 and starpiece 31 operated by a cam 32 in such a manner that at the end of each operation of the machine the pin'26 is automatically released from the notch 27 and the weighted lever 22 thrown over to stop the machine. The cam 32 is oriven by. bevelgear 33 from the cam-shaft 19 and the star-piece 31 is under action of a spring 34 to keep it up to the periphery of said cam.

As aforesaid the head-stock 2 at the end of the machine just under conslderation is fixed and with it are associated the flangiug rollers 35, 36 mounted in the central axis of the machine, the latter of which acts to support the work, and the curling and flattening rollers 37 and 38, these two latter rollers being positioned on opposite sioes of the axis of the chucks and movable in inclined paths toward and away from said axis. Similar rollers are also associated with and carried by the movable or adjustable head-stock 3 at the other end of the machine and are movable with said head-stock. These rollers I all carried in a separate slide or stock 43 mounted on rollers 44 to reduce friction and under the control of a hand-lever 45 by means of toggle levers 46 so that said slide can be moved forwards and backwards when inserting the work between, and removing it from, the chucks 6 and 7. I

Having thus described the main operative elements of the machine, I will now proceed to describe the particular arrangement and operation of the flanging, curling, and flat-- tening rollers. Taking first the flanging rollers'35,'36, these are mounted to rotate in heads 47 48'respectively carried by rods 49, 50 each in a sleeve 51, 52 forming part of the respective head-stocks with which they are associated. The rods 49, 50 pertaining to said rollers are extended below the bed of the frame and are connected by double links '19 and lever 56 of roller 36 is operated by cam 61 on shaft 18, these cams so controlling the movements of the rollers that the rollers 36' are raised to support the work and immediately after the rollers '35 are lowered to flange the edges of the drum and head simuitaneously in conjunction with the rollers 36, these operations taking place, in the form under consideration, at both ends of thework at the same time. The levers 55, 56 are under the action of springs 55, 56 tokeep the rollers 57, 58 thereon in contact with the cam surfaces. After the operations described the rollers 35 and 36 return to the normal or neutral position shown in the drawings.

The next operation is the initial double seaming of the flanged connection produced by rollers 35, 36, and this is effected by raising the curling rollers 37, of which there is one associated with each head-stock, into contact with the work. These rollers are each carried by a bed 62 working-in inclined guides 63 converging in a direction towards the axis of'the work support or chucks of the machine (see Figs. 3 and To the head 62 is connected a rod 64 attached at its lower end to a bell-crank 65, one arm of which is provided with a roller 66 which is acted on by a cam carri d by shaft 18. After the curled joint has beenformed by said rollers 37 it, flattened by the rollers 38 mounted in a similar manner to the curl ing r llers at the opposite side of the'central axis of the machine and operated by'bellcranks 68 and'cams 69 on shaft 19. The timing of the cams 67 and 69 is such that (see Fig. 8) the flattening operation follows closely on the curling operation and when said two operat ons are performed both said rollers recede to normal position, all. the rollers being then in the position shown in the drawings. The levers 65, 68 are interconnected by springs 70 in order to keep them in engagement with their respective cams. f

It will be obvious-as regards themovable head-stock and its z'issociated chuck slide that the roller operating cams, levers, and link connections must all be arranged to slide in relation to the cam shafts to permit the adjustment and moveinent of the headstock and slide for the purpose stated or othersuitable means provided for this purpose. 1 J

In the operation of an embodimentof a machine as above described the work, such as a drum, or receptacle body with flanged disk closures engaged in the ends thereof and to be seamed together is placed between the chucks 6, 7 and the hand-lever 45 operated which, through the connections mentioned moves the chuck slide so that the chuck 7 carried thereby gripsthe drum; The weighted hand-lever 22 is now operated and the machine started, the first operation being that of flangiiig the body of the-drum and the end or ends by means of the rollers vwhich are controlled or operated by separate cams. The cam shafts l8, 19 are directly coupled to the head-stock spindle by the train of gears-13, 17, which causes said cam shafts to make one operation to the movement of the chucks necessary "to complete the operations. The rollers 36 are advanced to support the drum while the flanging rollers perfo rm their function. The flanging and supporting rollers 35, 36 are now caused to recede and the double seaming or curling rollers 87 each actuated by separate cams are caused to advancetoproduce a semi-completed seam from' the previously flanged oint, after which the "flattening'rollers 38 advance .to complete the seam. The mechanism is then stopped automatically through the cam 32, which is adapted to make one revolution to a complete cycle of operations, and the drumis released by manipulating hand-lever and removed.

The mechanism of the present invention is equally applicable to. machines in which the axes of the chuck and of the work are either vertical or horizontal or possibly also inclined. I i

What I claim as my invention and desire 'to secure by Letters Patent of the United States i.s: v

1. In apparatus for securing closures to sheet-metal receptacle bodiesfthe combina ion. of a pair of axially arrangedanrl'opposed chucks between which a receptacle body witha flanged closure disk. in each end is held. a pair of rollers associated with said chucks adapted to support the receptacle and flange the disk flanges and ends of the re ceptacle laterally, said rollers being located torotate on axes parallel with the axis of the chucks, cam shafts disposed at opposite sides of said axis, cams on said shafts to inde pendently actuate .said rollers to move the rollers to flanging position and after the flanging operation to return the rollers to initial position, and rollers brought successively into operative relation with the flanged portion of the receptacle and closure disks to curl said flanged portion and then flatten the same against the receptacle body to form and seam the closures to the receptacle body.

2. Apparatus for securing closures to sheet-metal receptacle bodies as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rollers to. curl and flatten the flanged portions of the receptacle sides of said axis, and camson said shafts to independently actuate each of said rollers to effect the curling and flattening of the flanged portions of the receptacle and closures in successive sequence.

In apparatus forsecuring closures to slieet metal receptacle bodies as c laimed in claim 1 a slide movable lon 'ltudinall of the 5 apparatusand carrying onc'o'f said chucks 'ith the associated flanging, curling and flattening rollers, and means for controlling theposition of said slide comprising toggle mechanism and a hand levenconnected thereto for actuating, the same.

4. Apparatus forsecuring closures-to'sheetmetal receptacle bodies 'asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the rollers to curl and'flatten' the flanged port-ions of the receptacle ends" and closure flanges 'are'disposed at opposite sides of the axis of the chucks and movableiin inclined paths converging toward said axis,

cam shafts arranged at opposite sides of said axis, cams on said shafts to independently actuate each of said rollers to effect the curling and flattening of the flanged portions of the receptacle and closures in successive sequence, a slide movable longitudinally of the apparatus and carrying-one of said chucks with the associated flanging, curling and flattening rollers, and means for controlling the position of said slide comprising toggle me'chani'sm'and a hand-lever connected thereto for actuating the same.

5. In apparatus for securing closures "to sheet-metal receptacle bodies,'t'-he combina- 'tion of revolving chucks between whicha receptacle with a'flanged cl'osure'ineach'end -is held, head-stocks carrying said chucks one of which ls movablenxially relative to the other,'rollers associated'with said chucks adapted to support the'receptac'lebody and flange the ends of the body and flange of the closure disks laterally, said rollers being mov- 1 able in a direction toward and away from the axis of the chucks, rollers to curl the flange portions of the receptable and closures into a seam and flatten the same, said rollers being disposed at opposite sides of the axis of the chucks, cam shafts mounted at opposite sides of said axis, and cams on said shafts adapted to independently actuate the flanging rollers to effect the flanging operation and permit the return of said rollers to initial position, and actuate the curling and flattening rollers to eflect the forming and flattening of the seam in successive sequence.

6. In apparatus for securing closures to sheet-metal receptacle bodies as claimed in lit) claim 5, means to adjust the adjustable headstock carrying the one chuck, and wherein said head-stock also carries the flanging, curling and flattening rollers associated with the chuck carried thereby, and means to adjust said chuck and rollers independently of the head-stock.

7. In apparatus for securing closures to Sl18t-111t2ll receptacle bodies, the combination of revolving chucks between which a receptacle body with a flanged closure disk in each end is held, rollers associated with said chucks adapted to support the recepta- -cle and flange the ends and flanges of the closures laterally, and then successively curl the flanged portion of the receptacle and closure disks and flatten the curled flanged portion, said supporting and flanging rollers being arranged to rotate on axes parallel with and have movement in a direction toward and away from the axis of the chucks, cam shafts disposed at opposite sides of said axis, cams onsaid shafts to independently actuate all of the rollers, a driving shaft, chain gearing to positively drive the chucks from said shaft, clutch mechanism for controlling the connection of said chain gear with the drive shaft, and a train a of gearing for driving thc'cam shafts from one of the chucks.

8. Apparatus for securing closures to sheet-metal receptacle bodies as claimed in claim 7, wherein the curling and flattening rollers are disposed at opposite sides of the {axis of the receptacle supporting chucks and movable in inclined paths converging toward said axis.

, 9. In apparatus for securing closure disks to sheetmetal receptacle bodies, the combination of revolving chucks between which a receptacle with flanged closure disks engaged in the ends is held, movable and sta tionary head-stocks,v chucks rotatably carried by therespective head-stocks, rollers associated with said chucks adapted to support the work and flange the ends of the receptacle with the closure flanges laterally,

then successively curl the flanged portions of the receptacle and closure disks and flatten the curled portions, the flanging and the chuck and associated rollers longitudinally of the apparatus as a unit, means for adjusting said chuck and rollers independently in relation to said head-stock, a driving shaft, chain gearing to positively drive the chucks from said shaft, clutch mecha nism for connecting the chain gearing with the drive shaft, manually operated means for controlling said clutch to connect the chain gearing with the shaft, means for antomatically releasing said clutch mechani .11 upon each revolution of the chucks, and a train of gearing to drive the cam shafts from one'of the chucks.

10. In apparatus for securing closures to sheet metal receptacle bodies, rotatable chucks for supporting a receptacle body with a flanged disk in the end, a pair of rollers rotatable on axes parallel with the axis of the chucks and movable in a direction toward and away from said axis-and adapted to flange the end of the receptacle and closure flange laterally, and pair of rollers rotatable on axes parallel with the axis of the chucks and movable toward and away from the chucks in inclined paths converging toward the axis of the chucks and adapted to operate on the flanged portion of the receptacle end and closure flange to curl said flanged portion and then flatten the same.

In witness whereof I have signed this specification.

CHARLES osnrii anonns. 

